Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare History
| 1979 | Summer | Friends of Hospice begin meeting |
| 1980 | July | Adopted name Hospice of Wayne County, Ohio, Inc. |
| 1982 | Feb | First class of volunteers trained |
| Aug | First office located in Wooster Community Hospital | |
| Fall | Served 8 patients | |
| 1987 | Served 34 new patients | |
| 1989 | May | Moved to Beall Avenue from original office in the Wooster Community Hospital |
| 1990 | May | Medicare certification approved |
| 1991 | Sept | Developed mission statement |
| Oct 10 | Licensed by State of Ohio | |
| 1992 | Apr | Moved to 2330 Cleveland Road |
| Aug | Celebrated 10-year anniversary | |
| Served 106 new patients; 116 total | ||
| 1993 | Began care for nursing home patients | |
| 1994 | First Certified Registered Nurse Hospice in Wayne County | |
| 1995 | Served 142 new patients; total 166, average daily census 25 | |
| 15th anniversary of lst Hospice board | ||
| 1996 | Groundbreaking for new building on Back-Orrville Road | |
| Patient wish fund: Hospice Hopes: (partnership and funded by Wooster Noon Lions – grants first wishes) | ||
| 1997 | Fifteenth year anniversary | |
| Moved to Back-Orrville Road location | ||
| 1998 | Approved as a provider for the State of Ohio at Apple Creek Developmental Center | |
| 224 patients served – 200 as new admissions | ||
| 1999 | Served 280 patients; 250 as new admissions | |
| 2000 | Achieved JCAHO Accreditation | |
| Served 303 patients | ||
| Increased Bereavement Support Services to Children through Wooster Noon Lions Support | ||
| 2001 | Served 359 patients | |
| 2002 | Began planning for Palliative Care program development | |
| 2003 | Served 464 patients | |
| Formed an Advance Care Planning coalition collaborating with local Care providers | ||
| Fran Loess, volunteer founder of HPC, Named by National Hospice Foundation as Volunteers are the Heart of Hospice Award winner – Recognized at National Volunteer Conference | ||
| 2004 | Name changed to Hospice & Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County | |
| Implemented new logo | ||
| Started palliative medicine program | ||
| Joined Hospice Alliance of Ohio | ||
| Friendtique opened – a nonprofit resale organization where profits go to support Hospice & Palliative Care of Greater Wayne County | ||
| 2005 | Initiated Loess Life Legacy Project using volunteers | |
| Opened LifeCare outpatient clinic at the Viola Startzman Free Clinic | ||
| Served 523 patients | ||
| 2007 | Acquired Hospice of Wadsworth/Rittman and establish new office at 185 E. Main St Wadsworth | |
| 2010 | Purchased 19+ acres along Akron Road for new Hospice facility | |
| Served 682 patients | ||
| Board of Directors votes to move forward with an inpatient unit and capital campaign | ||
| 2011 | Capital Campaign begins with a goal of raising $4,000,000 | |
| Partners with Hospice of Holmes County | ||
| 2013 | June 17 | Changed name to LifeCare Hospice |
| 2014 | July | Moved into new building at 1900 Akron Rd. |
| 2015 | Mar 18 | Admitted first patient to the Gault Inpatient Unit |
| 2017 | July 5 | LifeCare Hospice joins Ohio’s Hospice strategic partnership and becomes Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare |
| 2021 | ||
| 2022 | July 14 | Dedicated the Marilyn B. and Mark E. Gustafson Center for Supportive Care |
We are grateful to the many physicians who have supported us over the years, especially to Dr. Spiess, Dr. Lun, Dr. Stallings, Dr. Kearney, Dr. Peabody, Dr. Lance and Dr. Jodi Hannan.
Dr. Walter Kearney, one of the founders of LifeCare Hospice, has served LifeCare for over 35 years. He was a Medical Director for many years, served two terms on the Board of Directors, was on the Capital Campaign “A Place Like Home” Fundraising Committee to raise funds to build our new building and inpatient unit, and remains involved today in volunteer and community relations activities.
